Hello
Given:
(1) You mustn't do it!
(2) You can't do it!
What's the difference? I am aware that mustn't is something like "it is necessary not to", so could I say they are at least close in meaning?
José
mustn't X can't
Moderators: Dimitris, maneki neko2, Lorikeet, Enrico Palazzo, superpeach, cecil2, Mr. Kalgukshi2
Hi Jose,
(1) You mustn't do it!
(2) You can't do it!
What's the difference? I am aware that mustn't is something like "it is necessary not to", so could I say they are at least close in meaning?
Can't depends on the context. It could mean that you don't have the ability to do something, or it could mean that you are forbidden to do it. In the latter case, you are right, can't and mustn't have similar meanings, although, to further complicate the issue, mustn't could have a connotation that implies there is some sort of taboo connected to the action.
Julia
(1) You mustn't do it!
(2) You can't do it!
What's the difference? I am aware that mustn't is something like "it is necessary not to", so could I say they are at least close in meaning?
Can't depends on the context. It could mean that you don't have the ability to do something, or it could mean that you are forbidden to do it. In the latter case, you are right, can't and mustn't have similar meanings, although, to further complicate the issue, mustn't could have a connotation that implies there is some sort of taboo connected to the action.
Julia
-
Stephen Jones
- Posts: 1421
- Joined: Sun May 18, 2003 5:25 pm
'Can't' means you are not able to do it.
One reason may be because there is a moral taboo so, "You can't do that" would be said in a state of horrified shock, and would be close to "you meustn't do that" but there are plenty of other reasons why you might not be able to do something, and in all of those occasions ''mustn't' would be clearly different from 'can't' since 'mustn't' implies that you are able to do the forbidden thing in the first place.
One reason may be because there is a moral taboo so, "You can't do that" would be said in a state of horrified shock, and would be close to "you meustn't do that" but there are plenty of other reasons why you might not be able to do something, and in all of those occasions ''mustn't' would be clearly different from 'can't' since 'mustn't' implies that you are able to do the forbidden thing in the first place.